Now that much of the country has temperatures consistently above 70-degrees during the day, ant activity can be observed almost continually all day long. This time of year is the prime time for ants, as worker ants actively forage for food to sustain the colony. While the presence of ants has been known to ruin many a picnic, this year, yours doesn’t have to be one of them thanks to a few simple tricks.
Keep Ants Away with Bait
- Most ant infestations begin with a colony located outdoors. You’ll want to stop ants outside before they can ruin your outdoor activities or before they have a chance to make their way inside your home. The most effective way to ensure complete elimination of the entire ant colony is baiting. Place a bait product near where you notice ant activity.
- You will notice an initial increase in ant activity as the ants find the bait and transport it back to the rest of the colony. Ants will then alert other worker ants to the location of the food source through pheromone trails. It is important to leave the bait undisturbed so ants can share it, which will ensure you’re getting rid of the entire ant colony.
- You should notice a reduction in the number of ants within a few days, though depending on the size of the colony, complete control may take up to 2 weeks.
- Avoid using contact killers, such as aerosol sprays, during the baiting process. Doing so will kill the ants before they have a chance to transport the deadly bait back to the other ants.
With patience and persistence (and some TERRO® Outdoor Liquid Ant Baits), your outdoor ant problem will soon be a distant memory. You can look forward to picnics and outdoor summer fun without the nuisance of ants parading across your porch.
If you see some ants nearby, now you know baitting is a great solution. We have many TERRO® Ant Products you can use as the arsenal against carpenter ants and termites too! For extra help, check out TERRO®'s Guide to Ants on our website.
